Auroraphobia | Fear of Northern Lights

(uh-roar-ah-fo-be-ah)

What is Auroraphobia?

Auroraphobia is the persistent and irrational fear of the Aurora Borealis. The Aurora Borealis, also known as “northern lights”, is a cascade of lighting effects in the northern skies caused by solar radiation entering the atmosphere via the magnetic fields of the Earth.

The root word “aurora” means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. The word 'phobia' comes from the Greek word ‘phóbos’ meaning 'fear.'

Causes of Auroraphobia

The fear of astral lights may originate with fears of the unknown or loss of control. Along these lines, Auroraphobia can also be triggered by a light show of almost any kind.

Those who suffer from religious or “doomsday” phobias may be at risk of this phobia as well.

Auroraphobia is a specific (or “isolated”) phobia, centered on non-social key factors. Isolated phobias tend to have some previous trauma (often in childhood and often physically injurious) as a root cause; a fear of bees may stem from an injury in childhood, for instance.

Upbringing can also play a role, such as parental warnings about a direct threat (such as “snakes can bite and kill you”) which is especially notable in cases where a threat is more imminent. (An allergy to bees or peanut butter, for instance, would naturally reinforce a real medical concern.)

It is thought that genetics and hereditary factors may play a role in specific phobias, especially those related to a danger of injury. (A primal “fight or flight” reflex may be more easily triggered in those with a genetic predisposition, for instance.)

By contrast, social phobias (like a fear of body odor or touch) are less well understood, are driven by social anxiety and are broadly labeled as “social anxiety disorder”.

In all kinds of phobias, external experiences and / or reports can further reinforce or develop the fear, such as seeing a family member or friend who is affected. In extreme cases, indirect exposures can be as remote as overhearing a reference in conversation, seeing something in the news, on TV, or in the movies.

Auroraphobia, like most phobias, stems from a subconscious overprotection mechanism, and as with many phobias can also be rooted in an unresolved emotional conflict.